Type-writing machine.



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BURNHAM C. STICKNEY, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD TYIEEWBITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N, Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA VARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 1 I

Be it known that I, BUnisHAM 'C. STICK- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and 5 State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type- Writiiig .Machines, of which the following is a specification. r

p This invention relates to paperfeeding devices of typewriting machines, and especially to card-holdersofthe class illustrated in the patent to Allard, 769,811, of September 13, 1904, in which a stencil address card s inserted bottom edge first between the front of the platen and a pair of guiding rolls, the platen being'rot'ated reversely to carry the card down until its bottom edge strikes the bottom of a pocket, which brings the device into position for writing the first line.

One of the principalobjects of the present improvements is to enable the operator to feed the cardpositively in line-space direction by means of the platen itself, thus avoiding the necessity for using the complicated fiat platen card'attachments, which have been proposed by many inventors.

To carry out the present improvements, I arrange at each end of .the usual revoluble platen, a gear, and in mesh with each gear, I arrange a pinion, and by means of a shaft, each pinion is connected to one of the cardguiding rolls. Each roll is thus posi ively driven, so that the card, although -'very brittle and therefore difiicult to control, is positively clamped, being gripped between positively-driven rolls, "instead of being drivenv by only one roll, namely, the platen, as in said patent. The roll shafts terminate at the rolls, leaving a clear open-space between the rolls for writing on the card. The pressure of the'spring which holds the rolls against the platen may be very strong, and the rolls may be made releasable by means of a handle projecting upwardly from the frame on which are carried the rolls and pinions, said frame being mounted to rock in' the usual platen frame, being supported thereon by suitable gudgeons. The rolls aremounted in yielding fingers pending from said rock shaft, and carrying pockets at their lower ends to receive the cards. Either or both of thesefingers may be adjustable along the rock shaft on which they are mounted; and to accommodate this adjustment, each of the roll shafts is splined to its pinion, so that the shaft may permit adjustment of the feed roll along the platen while the pinion remains in mesh with its gear, in each instance.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a portion of an Underwood typewriting machine, with the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is.

a 'fragmentary part sectional e'nd elevation view showing a card-guiding roll and supporting finger. Fig. 3 1s a similar view showing a portion of the line-spacing mechanism and the gearing between the platen and one of the card-guiding rolls. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front perspective view.

A roller platen 5 has its axle 6 journaled 'in a platen frame 7, which may be shiftable up and down as usual in the carriage 8, to

bring the platen to upper and lower case face of the platen. The platen is rotatable by hand wheels 10, and may also be rotated I positions. Types 9 may be operated bythe, "usual mechanism to strike against the front comprising an operating lever 11, to actuate a slide bar 12 carrying a pawl 13 for driving the line-space ratchet wheel 14, fixed to the platen axle, to thereby rotate the platen.

In carrying out the present invention, car-guiding and feeding rolls 15 are caused to bear against the front face of theplaten at or adjacent to the printing line, and at opposite sides of the printing point, said rolls arranged to be positively driven from the platen, and, thereby positively feed the cards over the,.platen. Each of the rolls 15 is fixed to the inner end of a roll-driving shaft 16 on which-is splined a pinion 17 running in meshwith a gear wheel 18, fixed to the platen at the end thereof, or otherwise connectedto be driven by the platen.

, efficiency.

ice These rolls may be made of hard material.

Arock'shaft 19 extending lengthwisiibfl '.;the platen abovethe printing line, is-'iournaled in the ends of the platen frame, by

means of gudgeons 20. The roll shafts 16 are supported adjacent their outer ends in arms 21 depending from the rock shaft, said arms arranged in pairs, or bifurcated, to

receive the pinions 17 and prevent them from beingshifted lengthwise of the platen out of engagement with the gear wheels 18.

The inner ends of the shafts 16 are journaled in fingers 22, the upper ends of which are slidably mounted on the rock shaft 19, said fingers depending from the rock shaft and hooked at their lower ends to provide pockets 23 to receive the lower edge of the card or work-piece. Each roll 15 with its associated guiding finger 22, is adjustable lengthwise of the platen. the splined connection between the shaft and its pinion permitting such adjustment. Setscrews 25 are provided to clamp said fingers in their adjusted positions.

The rolls 15 are held against the platen or the work-piece with a strong but yielding pressure, which may be provided by a spring 26. The fingers 22 have a non-rotatable connection with the shaft which permits the pressure of the spring to be transmitted through the shaft to the rolls. The latter are preferably made of steel or other hard material, and are provided with knurled or roughened surfaces to grip the cards and prevent slipping. The cards are gripped between positively driven rolls, instead of being driven by the platen alone, whereby slipping of the card is effectually prevented. The teeth of the intermeshing gears a nd pinions are made quite deep in order to retain them in driving relation when the rolls are moved out 'ardly sufliciently to accommodate a thick card 24.

A handle 27 permits the shaft 19 to be rocked to throw the guide fingers and rolls off the platen, thereby facilitating the insertion and removal of cards. A card 24 may thus be quickly dropped into position between theplaten and the guide fingers 22, the lower edge of the card resting in the pockets 23, with the card in position to be written upon. As the roll shafts 16 terminate at the guide fingers 22. an open or unobstructed space is provided between the guide fingers 'for a portion of the card to be written. The length of this space is adjustable to correspond with the dimensions of the card to be written; said adjustment being effected by shifting either one or both of the guide fingers along the rock shaft.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the in ention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others. Having thus'described my invention, I claim:

-- 1. The combination with a roller platen,

thus

the side edges of the card, a feed roll to bear against the outer face of the card at or adjacent to the printing line, a shaft on which said roll is mounted, and intermeshing gears connected respectively to the platen and shaft for positively driving the roll when the platen is rotated.

3. The combination with a roller platen, of means for supporting and feeding a card over the platen atthe printing line while retaining the card in a substantiallv flat condition, said means comprising guides for the side edges of the card; a feed roll to bear against the outer face of the card at or adjacent to the printing line, a-shaft on which said roll is mounted, and intermeshing gears connected respectively to the platen and shaft for positively driving the roll when the platen is rotated. said guides being relatively adjustable lengthwise of the platen to accommodate cards of different widths, said shaft having a splined connection with its gear to permit adjustment of the roll and shaft along the platen.

4E. The combination with a roller platen, of card-guiding and feeding means comprising feed rolls at opposite sides of the printing point. to bear against the front face of the card at or near the printing line, and means forming positive driving connections between said rolls and the platen whereby said rolls are positively driven to feed the card when the platen is rotated.

The combination with a roller platen,-

of card-guiding and feeding means comprising feed rolls at opposite sides of the printing point to bear against the front face of the card at or near the printing line, and driving means for the rolls comprising a gear train between each of said rolls and the platen.

(3. The combination with a roller platen, of cardfeeding means comprising feed rolls to bear against the front face of the card at the printing line, said rolls located at opposite. sides of the printing point, and an unobstructed space being provided between said rolls along the printing line, shafts carrying said rolls and extending therefrom along the face of the platen, gears connected to the platen. and pinions on said shafts in mesh with said gears to form positive driving connections from the platen to said. rolls.

7. The combination with a roller. platen and a platen frame, of a rockshaft journaled in said frame and extending along the platen, card-guiding fingers connected; to said rock shaft at opposite sides of the printing point for supporting a card in a substantially fiat condition over the printing point, card-feeding rolls mounted on said fingers and arranged to bear against the outer face of the card at the printing line, and means to rock said shaft to throw the rolls off the platen.

8. The combination with a roller platen and a platen frame, of a rock shaft journaled fingers and arranged to bear against the outer face of the card at the printing line, means to rock said shaft to throw the rolls off the platen, and means to positively drive said rolls from the platen.

9. The combination with aroller platen and a platen frame, of a rock shaft journaled in said frame and extending along the platen, card-guiding fingers connected to said rock shaft at opposite sides of theprinting pointfor supporting a card in a substantially flat condition'over theprinting point, card-feeding rolls mounted on said fingers and arranged to bear against the outer face'of the card at the printing line, means to rock said shaft to throw the rolls 0d the platen, roll shafts carrying said rolls and extending outwardly therefrom along the face of the platen, arms-on said rock shaft in which the roll shafts are supported, gears connected with the platen, and

pinions on the roll shafts to run in mesh with the gears and thereby positively drive the feed rolls when the platen is rotated.

- 10. The combination with a roller platen and a platen frame, of a rock shaft journaled in said frame and extending along the platen, card-guiding fingers connected to said rock shaft at opposite sides of the printing point for supporting a cardin a substantially fiat condition over the, printing point, card-feeding rolls mounted on said fingers and arranged to bear against the outer face of the card at the printing-line, means to rock said shaft to throw the rolls off the pl aten,roll shafts carrying said rolls andextending outwardly therefrom along the-face of the platen, arms on said rock shaft in which the roll shafts are supported, gears connected with the platen, and pinions on the roll shafts to run in mesh with the gears and thereby positively drive the feed rolls when the platen is rotated, said pinions being splined on their shafts to permit adjustment of the rolls along the platen to accommodate cards of different widths, said card-guiding. fingers also adjustable lengthwise of the rock shaft.

11. In a front-strike writing machine, the

sides of the printing point, card-feeding rolls supported in said fingers to bear against the platen at 'the printing line, a

spring to rock said'shaft in a direction to cause the said rolls to bear against the platen, and a key for rocking said shaft in the reverse direction to throw the rolls off the platen.

12. In a front-str1kewritingmachine, the

combination with a platen frame and a roller platen journaled thereon, of a rock shaft mounted'in the plat'enframe and extending along the platen above the printing line, card-supporting and guiding fingers depending from said rock shaft at 0pposite sides of the printing point, card-feeding rolls supported in said fingers to. bear against the platen at the printing line, a spring to rock said shaft in a direction to cause the said rolls to bear against the platen, a key forrocking said shaft in the reverse direction'to throw the rolls off the platen, arms depending from said shaft adjacent the endsof the platen, roll shafts connected to said rollsand supported in said arms, pinionson said roll shafts, and gears secured to the platen to drive said pinions, and thereby positively'drive said rolls atthe surface speed of the platen when the platen is rotated.

' 13. In afrontstrike Writing machine, the combination with a platen frame and a roller platen journaled thereon,.of a rock shaft mounted in the platen frame and ex,- tending along the platen above the printing line, card-supporting and guiding fingers depending from said rock shaft at opposite sides 'of the printing point, card-feeding rolls supported in said fingers to bear against the platen at the printing line, a spring to rock said shaft in a direction to cause the said rolls to bear against the platen, a key for rocking said shaft in the reverse direction to throw the rolls off the platen, arms depending from said shaft ad jacent the ends of' the platen, roll shafts connected to said rolls and supported insaid arms, pinions on said roll shafts, and gears secured to the platen to drive said pinionsand thereby positively drive said rolls, said fingers slidably mounted onthe rock'shaft,

and the roll shafts having a sliding connection with their pinions, whereby the fingers, rolls and roll shafts are adjustable lengthwise of the platen.

'14. The combination with a roller platen, of card-supporting and feeding means comprising rolls arranged to bear agalnst the platen along the printing line at opposite sides of the printing point, an open unobstructed space being provided along the printing line between said rolls, means to cause the rolls to bear with a yielding pressure against the platen, said rolls formed of hard material having a knurled or roughened surface to engage the cards, and prevent slipping; and means to positively drive .said rolls from the platen when the latter is rotated.

15. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with'a roller platen and frame, of oardsholding and feeding means, comprising a rock frame including a rock shaft extending lengthwise of the platen above the printing line and having its ends journaled in the platen frame, card-supporting and guiding fingers depending from said shaft at opposite sides of the printing point,

and provided at their lower ends with pockets or stops for the lower edge of the card, feed rolls carried by said rock frame and extending along the printing line at opposite sides of the printing point, said fingers and rolls arranged to provide an mobstructed space" along the printing line, means to cause the rolls to bear against the front face of the card, and means to rock said rock frame and thereby space the rolls .and card-holding fingers from the platen to permit a card to be dropped into position between the platen and said rolls and to facilitate the removal of the card when the writing thereon has been completed.

BURNHAM O. STIOKNEY.

Witnesses:

JULIUs DUcKsTINn, 'W. O. WESTPHALJ 

